Abstract:

The quality of a student's education begins with his or her teachers. It is important for teachers to be experienced in their field of study, especially when it comes to Deaf education. Deaf educators must be knowledgeable in the area of Deaf culture and proficient in American Sign Language. When selecting a program, future teachers need to take into consideration the type of students they want to work with. This should impact the program they enter. Programs differ in the amount of hands on experience provided, how much focus is placed on disabilities, the approach in which the information is taught, and the focus on language fluency. This paper discusses the Deaf education programs and expectations of six schools including: California State University - Northridge, Gallaudet University, McDaniel College, National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), Lamar University, and Ball State University.